March 1, 2010 Ellettsville Parks and Recreation Board Meeting Minutes
The Ellettsville
Parks and Recreation Board met on Monday, March 1, 2010 at the Fire
Department Training and Conference Center.
Jimmie Durnil called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Members
present were Jimmie Durnil, President; Richard
Pease, Vice-President; Amber Ragle, Secretary; and Geraldine McIntyre. Michael Griffey was absent.
Approve Minutes of February 1, 2010
Geraldine McIntyre made a motion
to approve the minutes of the February
1, 2010 meeting. Richard
Pease seconded. Motion carried 4-0.
Review Accounts Payable Expenditures
Amber Ragle reviewed the
expenditures for February.
Old Business
Update on Parks & Recreation 5 Year Master Plan
Connie Griffin, Planning Director – presented the new
draft of the Master Plan dated 2/17/2010. She reminded the Board she continues to use
the DNR’s 2008 guidelines. The table of
contents is based on their layout. This
is a rough draft and there are several more maps and photographs which go into
this document, but she usually waits and inserts those at the end. She does have images for each of the parks
and a copy of the Town’s organizational chart.
She continues to plan for this to be done in order to go along with the
I-69 grant, but under the understanding that we can still change it. It does not have to be done when the grant is
done, but it needs to be near done. It
isn’t actually due until August to the DNR.
New Business
Discussion of Well’s Park Protective Overlay Zone
Connie Griffin, Planning Director presented a
document laying out information regarding zoning the Well’s Park area
Institutional/Public District – Public Open Space. She informed the Board Mrs. Judy Morran,
fifth grade teacher at Edgewood Intermediate brought her class before the Town
Council and requested protection for the Well’s Park area and it be turned into
a Nature Preserve. The DNR looked at the
area and it is only about 20 acres. The
Town doesn’t want to relinquish control over that space. A protective zoning overlay could be placed
over the park; therefore the Town maintains complete control. It could remain in this designation for as
long as we want until we decide to do something with it to benefit the
Town. She is coming before the Board
requesting the protective overlay for the park.
The zone would be called Institutional/Public (IP) District – Public
Open Space. There has been some vandalism
in the park area as well and there are pictures in the packet before you. The Plan Commission would be the legislative
body which starts this process. She is
requesting a motion from the Parks Board to take this to the Plan Commission to
develop this new zone. We would probably
want to put this zone on existing major public open spaces and recreational
areas in Ellettsville, such as Campbell’s Park, Memorial Park, as well as,
Well’s Park. There will be a public
hearing notice through the Plan Commission.
There is a time table towards the end of the document before the Board.
Jimmie Durnil entertained a
motion to allow Connie Griffin to present this
to the Plan Commission. Amber Ragle so
moved. Geraldine McIntyre seconded the
motion.
The following discussion took place prior to the vote:
Jimmie
Durnil raised concern over Monroe County
being involved. Connie
Griffin replied that they would not be involved. She only used their terminology for the
zoning designation. There would be no
control over us. Geraldine McIntyre
asked for clarification on using this zoning designation with the other parks
in Ellettsville. Connie
Griffin answered that, yes, that was true. Part of the I-69 Grant deliverable was to
establish the Well’s Park into a nature preserve, but it’s too small. Tom Swinford from DNR
went out to the park and said it was too small to be classified as a nature
preserve under state classification. Connie
Griffin said her thought after that was the best thing was to
put this protective zoning overlay over it.
Her suggestion would be to leave it undisturbed at present. We may want to put up signage and a
boot-cleaning station to prevent us from tracking things in that are invasive
and bringing things out that are invasive such as seedlings and things of that
nature. Dan Swafford reiterated to the
Board that Town Council did not want to
relinquish control of the area, but did want to protect the area and help out
the community. Connie
Griffin went on to say the Plan Commission
may want to call this designation something other than what Monroe
County uses. She felt they would be supportive of the
overlay zone, even if they name it something else. It’s long overdue for our zoning
classifications. Amber Ragle expressed
her approval of the idea with the history and everything that’s at the Well’s
Park site. Dan Swafford informed the
Board of someone cutting trees in the area – topping the trees. Connie Griffin
stated there was a question about encroachment as well. She suggested there should be a survey to
establish the area for protection.
Jimmie Durnil called for a vote
on the motion. The motion carried 4-0.
Conceptual Proposal for Open Space Park in Ellettsville
Connie Griffin, Planning Director – asked to table
this discussion due to some continued discussion with the family. A family is considering donating the land on
SR 46 across from Campbell’s Park
to the Town for use as a park. Dan
Swafford offered he thought it would really be beneficial to the Town to
develop that area as a park. It would
stand out as you enter the Town from the east.
Ellettsville Main Street requests waiver of Shelter House Rental Fee
for Heritage Hike April 17, 2010
Amber Ragle informed the Board Jeanna Kapczynski called last week
and said they were planning on having a Heritage Hike on April 17 – a
Saturday. It will begin at Flatwoods
Park and be a 10K walk to end at
the Shelter House. They will be there to
give out patches and sell hot dogs. She
is asking us to waive the rental fee for that day. It is open to the public and is to promote
the Heritage Trail. Jimmie Durnil asked
if they would be using the restrooms and Amber Ragle responded she put in her
request they would like to if they are open by then. Geraldine McIntyre made a motion to waive the
fee for the rental of the shelter house.
Richard Pease seconded the motion.
Amber Ragle asked if they would still like for her to collect the
deposit and Jimmie Durnil answered in the affirmative. Motion carried 4-0.
Geraldine McIntyre remarked she had spoken with Chris Fisher at the
last Main Street meeting
regarding an Easter Egg Hunt. She said
several churches go together for a community Hunt. Geraldine McIntyre suggested Jimmie Durnil
call Chris Fisher to find out what the Board could do financially to help.
Adjournment
Geraldine McIntyre made a motion
to adjourn. Richard Pease seconded. Motion carried 4-0. Jimmie Durnil adjourned the meeting at 5:50 p.m.